Weekends: Pancakes .... Bento..

Looks like my Woofy Creations is suddenly turning into a food blog. hmmm.... :P

Last weekend, I have the mood to make ourselves breakfast.  I was inspired by my friend, Christina who made very nice looking pancakes.  And her hubby made a jumbo breakfast adding hotdogs and eggs! Yum Yum... So, I decided to make for us too. hahaha.. and I also bought a Piggy pan from Daiso - but it failed. hmmmmmmmmm... and there were 2 hungry monsters outside waiting for their breakfast.. so I didn't explore further.

I didn't get the pancakes premix.  Instead, I made the batter from scratch... zzzzzzzzzz... mainly also because I was unsure whether I want to make pancakes or not. Then on Sunday, it was a split seconds decision. (this is just so me.................................. I believe, that's why I prefer to work on my own.. cos it's easier to make decisions.. I think.)

Anyway, this is my breakfast.... and the boys enjoyed it.  It wasn't filling enough to be honest.  I fried another 2 eggs after that for Louis and myself, which no chance to take picture before we gobbled it down.  hahahaha!

We went out lunch at Changi Airport after sending my parents for a wedding lunch.  Had Popeye Chicken..? or something like that.  Hmm.. it didn't really fantastic.  Should have just stick to food court.. hot and yummy food..

Then... dinner... was too tired to cook anything.  We tabao from zichar.  I was dying to try out a bento for louis and here it is.... my 1st bento.. :D ... it just look so cute and appetising after decorating.  Louis finished everything! hmm.........

Will try out vegetable garden.. hehehe.. hopefully will lure him eating vegetables.. :P

Pineapple Tarts (Buttery Melt-in-your-mouth version)

This year, I decided to make my own pineapple tarts after getting hooked on cooking/baking!!  My sister in law also mentioned before that she prefers the opened-version rather than the closed version.  And because it looks more beautiful.. I decided to source for the open-version type.  I made some "horse-shaped" version after my "piggy" version just for fun for Louis.  It's a hit!!

There are few receipes that I sourced for.  The 1st recipe I tried wasn't really fantastic.  The crust is too dry and not much buttery taste - actually it's quite blend. hmmm.. FAILED. Maybe it's me.....

Then I proceed on sourcing again.. Angela Chia's blog. Looks good and delicious.. and there's many comments about it.  But I checked if it's good for open-version pastry, she said it's no good as it'll be too soft.  ok... so I KIV-ed this recipe.

Then! I found the perfect recipe for our family! I tried it and everyone loves it! It's from the The Little Teochew blog.  The pastry is buttery, flaky, melt in your mouth (not in your fingers!).  Yummy yummy!  I don't usually eat Pineapple tarts mainly because I found it too sweet.  This version I find it quite good.  Have a try! If you would like to... :)

Pineapple Paste
I bought pre-packed ones at $5 at Phoon Huat.  Save the trouble of making it myself.

Recipe for Pastry
- 400g plain flour*
- 50g corn flour
- 280g soften salted butter (Original recipe: cold, unsalted butter) - Sister in law mentioned some savory taste with sweet paste will blend well - so I tried and it works!
- 3 egg yolks, beaten
- 6 tbsp icing sugar**
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract (I used vanilla essence)
- For glaze, mix 1 egg yolk + 1 tbsp water

NOTE:
I omitted these when making my pastry:
- 1/4 (heaped) tsp salt (because I used salted butter)
- 3 tbsp cold/ice water

* The original recipe called for 450g plain flour. I changed it to 400g plain flour + 50g corn flour to make the dough more "melty".** The recipe called for 4 tsp castor sugar. I used 6 tbsp icing sugar in its stead. I read somewhere that icing sugar helps soft pastry dough keep their shape during baking.

Method
1) Using 1 tsp (7-8g) of the paste, roll it into a ball. Repeat until paste is used up. Chill in fridge until ready to use.

2) Sift flour, Corn flour into a big bowl and set aside.

3) Using an electric mixer, whisk butter and sugar until pale. Add in egg yolk and essence and mix until well combined.

4) Fold in (2) into (3) and mix to form a dough. Let the dough rest and chill in fridge for 20 minutes.

5) Roll out to desired thickness. Cut out dough using cutter. Arrange neatly onto baking tray, with at least 1.5cm apart. Since this is a very buttery, oily pastry, it would be good to use a small portion at a time. Keep the rest covered in the fridge, otherwise it will ooze oil. ***

5. Once you have arranged the tart shells on your tray, glaze them (the entire surface, not just the rims).

6. Place the pre-rolled pineapple jam balls onto the centre of each tart shell.

7. Bake at 160°C for 20 minutes

DONE :)

** Actually I modify quite a number of things and combined Angela and Little Teo Chew's method. Mainly because I felt that rub-in method is very tiring. wahahah!! I'm lazy.............. so I change to whisking method.. :P

*** This recipe is very buttery.  If you let it stay out for a longer period, it will turn soft and it's not easy to work on.  If you left in the fridge as 1 big round dough and don't use it immediately, it will turn hard and not easy to roll out and by the time it's soft enough, it will be too soft... :/ .... hmmm.. So I found my own method.  Before chilling the dough, I'll roll out the dough in cling wrap several pieces into the height you want your tarts to be, then seal the dough with the cling wrap.  Repeat until your dough is used up.  I take out each piece of dough to work on - this way, the remaining dough won't turn soft.  If the piece of dough is too hard by the time you work on it, roll it out again and it will turn manageable - At least it is not one whole chunk!

Roll out dougbefore chilling.. 

I find it works well.  Perhaps you want to try it. :) 

Chinese New Year coming!!

I think i just love creating things. No matter what. I love the process of creating. But I dread cleaning up! haha!

Recently I’m hooked with baking and cooking!  Not sure if it’s gonna be a good thing.  Electricity bills might shoot up.  I haven’t checked with Gary.  Oops.  I tried to do some clay creations in between.  And I have an order to fulfilled – Horses Keychains!.. but to creation some edible sounds more interesting to Gary.  Oh.. well.. I’m afraid to feed him fat and round... And me too! hahahaha! Ops! 


1st dinner I cooked for 2014!

I was quite on last weekend.. I cooked and baked! :P  This is my 2nd attempt to bake pineapple tarts (1st batch was a failure!  Wasn't sweet, but I thought it's quite good for Louis.. hee)  This is my 1st successful pineapple tarts!!  Not bad eh? :D


1st Batch of Pineapple Tarts!

We had a sumptous lunch last Sunday.  "Surf & Turf"... hehehe... And I baked... and I was so exhausted that I couldn't cook the chicken rice dinner which I planned ahead.  Haahaha!! Too ambitious!

 

Our Surf & Turf Lunch on Sunday

This is Louis' lunch with Chicken
minus the veg and tomato of course.  That's only for deco purpose.. :/

Yesterday the atmosphere wasn’t very good in the evening as Gary had a bad day.  I didn’t bake.. and also the boxes of pineapple tarts are still sitting on the kitchen table. And I fell right asleep lying there with Louis.   And zzz till morning... yeah.. shiok..

Anyway, I have been baking pineapple tarts, cupcakes and I have been buying props for photographing my cooking/baking creations. I tried to incorporate “clay play” to baking! Hahaha! And I’m having fun ~ though honestly speaking – it’s exhausting having to stand through the session. I made some piggies pineapples!!  





2nd Batch + adding a bit of fun!
Piggies!!



Next on line... I’m trying to create horse pineapples for the year of Horse!!! Wishing me success! Hahaha!



Woofy Creations - Food

I have been largely influenced by many many food blogs nowadays.  Food is no longer just for filling our stomach.  It's also filling our eyes as well.  How can people take such nice photographs of food?  And they made everything looked so delicious.  Woofy decided to try it out.. :))  ... let's see how long this 3-min hobby is going to last again. hehehe...

Over the weekend, I tried out my white elephant for more than a year.  It's the Sharp Healsio Water Oven.  I must say it's pretty impressive after trying out the grill function to grill my chicken wings.  The oven has maintained it's juiciness and tenderness of the meat and crisp on the outside.  Yummy!  Pan-frying to me is always a trial and error thing.  Sometimes it is under cooked.. sometimes, cook until the skin "melted" off.... -_-"' ... 

Grilled Chicken Wings
 

I also tried baking cookies with the Water Oven.  Weeee... it went well too!  Louis enjoyed the 2-day baking session with me and is so helpful trying to help out in everything.  The decorating part bores him though.  He prefers to eat the choc chips and choc rice.. :)

 

My Little Helper

Melt in Mouth German cookie - but freestyle decorating

Melt in Mouth German Cookie - supposedly bear deco
(Or whatever you imagine it to be..)
 

We also dust off our DSLR.  DH is preparing to take pictures for his friend's wedding.  We took some pictures of the food... It looks pretty decent - though wasn't professional of course. 

Fried Xiao Bai Cai with Mushrooms and my flowery carrots
 

I also cooked a Veg dish for dinner last night and our favourite ABC soup which I forgotten to take pictures.  Too yummy.... - ya right.  I love the carrot cutter I bought from Daiso.  So pretty!!

Anyway, whoever if notice... will noticed that these are the only few things that I normally whipped up if I do cook.  Chicken Wings, ABC Soup and Veg dish.  Whahahahaha... ops... I need to add more things in my blog - if I want to start a Food Section.  Right? :P

I think I all along loves to cook.  But because we don't entertain lots of guests, it's only just 2.5 of us.. (how much can Louis eat?) Wastage of food and ingredients is something that really discouraged us from cooking.  And cooking can take up a lot of energy.  And I also wish to go out "walk walk".. instead of just spending weekends at home.  Weekends are so short and precious, don't you agree?  haiz..

Anyway, I'm happy with the result over the weekend.  Let's see what other dishes I am able to come out with next time.. :)

Woof Woof..